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truth_n heart_n spirit_n worship_v 4,411 5 8.9748 5 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A50683 A sermon preached before the King at White-hall July 30, 1676 by John Meriton ... Meriton, John, b. ca. 1630. 1677 (1677) Wing M1821; ESTC R744 12,431 32

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delight in their Abominations c. And what-ever Veneration these righteous men in the Text had for themselves for tything Mint Annice and Cummin but neglecting the weightier things of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith for making clean the outside of the Cup and Platter remaining within full of Extortion and Excess making long Prayers to devour Widows Houses Our Saviour esteems no better of them than whited Sepulchres which appear beautiful to the eye but within are full of rottenness and dead men's bones let our care be then to be really what we appear not having a Form of Godliness denying the Power and let every man that names the Name of Christ depart from all Iniquity for bodily Exercise profits little but Godliness hath the Promise of this life and that that is to come This is that Law of Perfection which it is the design of all positive Laws to advance and propagate as the Promulgation of the Decalogue and the Institution of the Gospel which is so far from being a relaxation to Moral Duty as it is the greatest help and obligation to promote it upon a twofold account First As the most clear and manifest Revelation of Truth The Law came by Moses but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ The Law was Truth in obscure Types and Shadows but the Gospel is Truth in its own Image and Likeness and the clearer and more manifestly any Law is promulged the greater and more forcible is its Obligation Acts 17. 35. The time of this ignorance God winked at but now he commands all men every where to repent Secondly As the most clear evidence of the truth and certainty of a future life after this the main Argument of the Gospel being the truth and certainty of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead in the truth and substance of Humane Nature and in the Circumstances of Life and Immortality to die no more 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Summary Article of which is to confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God hath raised him from the dead Rom. 10. 10. God hath been pleased to give many instances of his Power in raising the Dead by his Prophets under the Law and by Christ and his Apostles under the Gospel which are strong Inferences of the possibility of a Resurrection but because all that were raised from the dead till Christ dyed again and he only lives to die no more His being so raised is the only assurance as the First Fruits of a full Harvest of a future Resurrection and Judgment when every man shall rise again with his own Body to receive according to what he hath done in the Flesh whether good or evil and the belief of this is the most if not only powerful Motive to Moral Goodness for if there be no Resurrection it is a Natural Inference Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die But if there be a Resurrection it is equally rational to infer herein let us exercise our selves continually to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards man The Jews were generally governed by the hope and fear of Reward and Punishment only in this life and generally looked for a Temporal Messiah to deliver them from the bondage of the Roman Tyranny and to give them great temporal Peace and Prosperity and because Christ came in the weakness and poverty of a Servant and they expected him in the pomp and power of a Sovereign they owned him not for their Messiah but to this day look for another the which their Errours and Mispritions were the Genuine Off spring of their ignorance and uncertainty of a Future State And the Sadducees a great and learned Party amongst them said there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit And though the Gentiles at least some of their wise men and Philosophers asserted and believed the Immortality of the Soul yet they were all uncertain if not altogether in unbelief of the Resurrection of the Body that these Mola's of flesh and blood should put on Incorruption and be cloathed with Immortality which is the only clear Revelation of the Gospel and the m●st powerful Argument to all the Duties and Obligations of Moral Righteousness c. The Jews went into Captivity under Shisack King of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel and at last were desolate under Titus and Vespatian with the Temple of the Lord in their mouths and the sign of Circumcision in their flesh and Abraham to their Father And if God spared not the Natural Branches it is fair warning to the Wild Olives grafted in not to be high minded but fear not to trust to the outward Privileges of the due Administration of the Word and Sacraments or external obedience to Instituted Righteousness and positive Laws without cleansing themselves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God for it is not that that goes in but that that comes out that defiles a man Good and Evil properly consists not in the external act and operation of the Body but in the inward habit and disposition of the mind whence it is that love is the fulfilling of the Law and consequently Hate the transgression of it so that he that loves his Neighbour as himself is his preserver and he that hates him in his heart is his murtherer though neither ever have power or opportunity actuallay either to save or to destroy Charity is not properly to rerelieve them that want but to love God above all and our Neighbour as our selves nor Martyrdome every dying but dying for the love of God and Truth 1 Cor. 13. 3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Optimus animus pulcherrimus Dei cultus Seneca He worships God best who hath the best mind God bears respect to Abel and to his Offering That Holocaust and Oblation which smokes from the Altar of a dovoted heart to God for the Altar sanctifies the Gift bears our acceptable Odour otherwise we are but like Vaults that sound merely from their hollowness c. External Profession of the best Religion Outward Communion with the best Church such as the Jewish once was and the Christian now is cannot secure or privilege from the storms of Divine Vengeance without the true belief and necessry practice of Truth and Holiness c. And since we have the Profession of the best Religion and live in Communion with one of the best Churches this day in the world which happiness God grant us long to enjoy under the protection and in the long life and prosperity of our most religious and gracious Sovereign and may it ever be the Blessing to us and our Posterities for all Generations that therein we may effectually save our souls from death and hide the multitude of our sins may it please God so to assist us with his Grace as that in the firm belief of all her Principles in the uniform practice of all her Duties and Obligations we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all Godliness and Honesty that being holy and humble and undefiled the Children of God without rebuke we may at last together with all those that are departed this world in the true Faith and fear of God be made partakers of the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit three Persons and one God of the same Substance Power and Eternity be given of us all Angels all Men and all Creatures all possible Honour and Glory Praise and Dominion Power and Thanksgiving Fear Adoration and Obedience now and for ever Amen FINIS